


Congratulations

by MinawaKitten



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Spoilers, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-03-02 12:59:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13318623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinawaKitten/pseuds/MinawaKitten
Summary: You love XO▢∆X  with all your heart. . . but one day, he vanished leaving behind your broken heart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> talking in danganronpaimagine's discord and this came to mind
> 
> also would it be fucked up or what if a survior went out in the outside world and on accident reuinted with a loved one but they keep calling them by another name and theyre trying to hard to get them to remember when they were together but they just , , , cant remember this person or a time they were together and Just Fuck Me Up.
> 
> imagine kaede acutally having a twin sister, but as soon as kaede appeared on danganronpa she drastically changed her apperance to avoid harassment and regrets it when kaede died and becomes so utterly FURIOUS when she learns kaede didnt have to die and she was set up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> talking in danganronpaimagine's discord and this came to mind
> 
> also would it be fucked up or what if a survior went out in the outside world and on accident reuinted with a loved one but they keep calling them by another name and theyre trying to hard to get them to remember when they were together but they just , , , cant remember this person or a time they were together and Just Fuck Me Up.
> 
> imagine kaede acutally having a twin sister, but as soon as kaede appeared on danganronpa she drastically changed her apperance to avoid harassment and regrets it when kaede died and becomes so utterly FURIOUS when she learns kaede didnt have to die and she was set up

You’ve been dating him for a few years, and despite his obsession with Danganronpa -- you insist to other’s his love for the show is  harmless because it’s not real people dying -- you love and adore him so. Sure, he’s a bit troubled at times, a void look in his eyes and drooling. . . He’s still very thoughtful and excitable. He always remembers your birthday or if an important event is coming up. He’s always there in the crowd watching your performances, his eyes shimmering with adoration for you and it filled your heart with pride.  
  
You love XO▢∆X O▢∆XO▢∆.

 

* * *

  
With no warning, XO▢∆X is gone. There’s no letter, voicemail and his parents are even more useless that ever. They don’t seem to care that he’s gone. If anything they’re relieved. It pissed you off to no end how they can be so casual about having a missing child.  
  
Using a photo of your anniversary -- the two of you smiling and flashing peace signs to the camera -- you begin to create as many missing posters as you can with your funds. Your parents are no help, they know exactly what you are doing as you came crying to them the first night he vanished from your life. They never said anything, not verbally, but they detest XO▢∆X with a passion, thinking he’s an unfitting man for you and a waste of time.  
  
You love XO▢∆X, even as your missing posters are torn down and his familiar visage appears on billboard with the name ‘Sahara Shuuichi’. Your parents try to convince you thats not XO▢∆X, just some boy that looks like him. You know they're only saying that to save you from heartbreak as the posters have ‘NEW DANGANRONPA V3’ written on them in big bold, eye catching pink text.  
  
Your beloved XO▢∆X has signed his own death warrant to be apart of the show he’s loved so much.

* * *

  
The moment the posters of ‘Akamatsu Kaede’ come out, Kaori chops her hair and dies it black. It must be hard having a twin sister playing the female lead for that insane TV Show.  
  
 The two of you reluctantly watch the show together, fearing for the state of your loved ones. It hurts to see this meek version of the boy you love so much fall in love with your best friend’s sister. . . but you push away those selfish feelings as Kaori cries and screams in utter despair as the life is snuffed from her sister before her very eyes.  
  
. . . You have so many doubts that this was all fake and everyone is simply acting. That was too real. The blood, the color of her face as she died and the tears he cried. All of it was just. . . too real to be fake. . . But how. . . How could Team Danganronpa pull that off?

 

* * *

  
After a while, you stop going to ballet practice. You can’t put your heart into your work with it so shattered. You see XO▢∆X cry so often on the TV and it only cements your idea that no one is acting. He cries the same exact way he did when you coaxed him and reminded him it’s okay to be human. His legs would give out under him, he would curl himself into a ball and clutch himself as tightly as he could, wheezing and choking as it became too much for him.  
  
When you find a figure of him -- Shuuichi Sahara -- you buy it without hesitation. Even if it’s just a hunk of PVC, you want something of him by your side. . . . It serves its job well, even when you’re crying, you don’t feel alone with those golden eyes gazing upon you with a shy smile on his face.

 

* * *

  
Your heart is heavy with pain.  
  
Your anxiety and restlessness only increases as the season dwindles down to the last of the episodes. Danganronpa only ends when two players are left. . . The group was down to only five. It would only be a matter of time. . . but that would mean more people would die and you can’t imagine him raising a hand against anyone.  
  
Perhaps the only good that has surfaced was the very fact that the media has started to hound Team Danganronpa for what many people have begun to perceive as unethical. No one knew the details that caused the sudden spike in utter outrage, but whatever it was, media wouldn’t give detail until the finale. Not like the finale would save their nose diving stocks.  
  
The only thing you knew was that Kaori was at the head of one of the group actively calling Team Danganronpa out as the monsters they were. And she was like a never ending flame of anger and utter fury, with her hair dyed blonde once more in honor of her sister. Whatever it was, it had to relate to her and she was fucking pissed.  
  
But you still selfishly wished XO▢∆X, Shuuichi, was back with you.  
  
“A-Ah! Sorry. . . !” Lost in your daze, you dropped your bag groceries. . . but you couldn’t find the will to care. That voice. you knew that voice. There’s a boy at your feet, hurriedly trying to gather up your fallen goods and place them back in the bag. Your brain is struggling to understand the situation. Did TDR record the episodes weeks beforehand after all. . .?  
  
Even so. . . the chances of actually running into him? It can’t be real. This. . .This just might be a really good cosplay. . . But when he lifts his head and gives you an awkward smile, you’re certain. This entire scenario. . .it’s too much like the time he first worked up his courage to talk to you. He bumped into you, spilling your books on the floor. He nervously picked them up before handing them to you with that very same expression.  
  
Oh god.  
  
It’s him. It’s really him.  
  
“Are you okay? I-I didn’t bump into you that hard, did I?” You’re not focused on his words. Your hand reaches out, gently cupping his cheek and starts to rub the skin under is eyes. Those wonderful and loving golden eyes framed with beautiful long lashes. God. He was always so beautiful. . . But it’s different now. He looks so tired and worn down. . . That game has destroyed him, hasn’t it? You can’t stop as tears start to roll down your cheeks.  
  
“H-Hey! What are you doing. . .?"  
  
“XO▢∆X. . .” You whisper. He freezes up, looking uncertain and a tad afraid. “You’re really here. . .” His fear seems to grow and he looks like he’s ready to bolt, but perhaps because he’s holding onto your groceries he can’t bring himself to flee. You don’t know why he’s acting this way. Maybe the reason why is in tonight's episode or maybe the finale. . . But, you know that you don’t want him to go away again. This was a one in a million chance. You can’t lose him again.  
  
Your trembling hand wraps around his shaking wrists and you pull him closer to you. you preset your body to his, wrapping your arms around his torso. You press your face to his chest, clutching him as tightly as you could. The smell isn’t familiar but. . . the feeling, the warmth, it’s familiar. Too familiar, it feels like your drowning but, right now, that’s fine. You want to drown in him. Whatever concerned and confused babble he is saying is lost to the sound of your sobbing.  
  
You don’t care the world is looking at you. You just. . .you can’t care right now. Not when the person you love so much is here.  
  
No.  
  
That’s not true. . .  
  
The boy you love is . .  . hes alive, and yet, the boy you knew is dead.  
  
As that realization dawns upon you, you cry so much harder. The memories you spent with XO▢∆X. . . you don’t know where they even are. Are they buried deep inside or are they gone forever? Even so. . . You want to be with him. . . because, like a fucking idiot, you fell in love with Shuuichi Saihara.  
  
He has many traits of XO▢∆X, but, he’s still his own person.  
  
An adorable and shy young man that has a beautiful smile and truly believes in people, he’s so smart and clever, and he tries his best to understand people -- something your beloved XO▢∆X seemed to lack, he always said as long as he had you it would be fine. You used to think that was sweet, but in retrospect, it only told you how small his world was and how lonely he really was. You want to be apart of his world. . . Not as his significant other. You don’t have to fill that role to be with him again. You’ll take anything. Any role to be him. It doesn’t matter.  
  
All you want is him and him alone.  
  
“XO▢∆X. . .” He softly repeats. “Is. . . Is that my old name?” You nod your head against his chest, not willing to look him in the eyes and cry again. “Are we. . . family?” You shake your head. “. . .Friends. . .?” You shake your head with a little more force. Of course you are friends. Why wouldn’t you think of your partner as your friend. . .? But the depth of your feelings didn’t end just there. He audibly gulps. “. . . Then. . . were we lovers. . . perhaps?” The way he shyly asks that makes your heart swell.  
  
“Y. . .Yeah. . .” You quietly admit. “I’ve been looking for you for so long. . . I put up as many posters as I could, even if they were torn down. . . I never stopped looking for you. . ."  
  
“I’m sorry. . .” He whispers after what feels like forever. “I just. . . I can’t remember anything. . . I’d like to but. . .  I can’t . . .” You let out a sigh but you don’t let go of him. You simply rub your face against his shoulder affectionately. A quiet squeak escapes him.  
  
“I figured that was the case. . . All your emotions were too real. . .” He tenses and his grows stiff in your arms for a moment. Gently, you pat his backside just like he always liked it. He immediately melts in your arms, hesitantly lifting his arms to finally, _finally_ , return your gesture. “I never watched it before. Danganronpa, I mean. I couldn’t get into it, it was too sad for me. . . but I didn’t care that you did. You always greeted me with a smile and loved me for me, even if you got really excited over it sometimes. . . No one really took the time to understand you. . . but you just. . .vanished one day and when I saw a poster in the city, I got so worried I just started to watch to make sure you were okay. . . How you reacted to things was too natural to be acting, especially for someone who never had acting classes before.”  
  
“I. . . I see. . .” Shuuichi gives you an awkward pat on the back, which makes you break out into a smile. “Well, thank you for loving me. . .”  
  
“Even like this. . . I still love you. . .” You quietly admit. You swear you hear him sniffle and he hugs you tighter.  
  
Right now, everything felt right in the world. . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we also discussed why would the audition tapes bleep out names since theyre not intended to be shared to the public,  
> i pointed out they would most likely be bleeped out to protect their original identities and names + family, since Tsumugi actually states once everyone falls into despair that 'everything was still on script' meaning she planned out both how her reveal would work and when it would happen along with sharing the audition tapes on TV
> 
> besides, whos to say that Shuuichi Saihara really is his name
> 
> [ muffled xfiles theme ]
> 
> aslo title is from a song by RADWIMPS that I associate w Shuuichi a lot.
> 
> i tried to get shuuichi's pre-game personality somewhere between soft boy and the fanboy, id like to think more of soft boy came out when with someone he was really comfortable with?? and a mix of love is blind on the behalf of the reader??? fuck idk man, i mean if i ended up doing more i could get in depth with that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> me: i should go to bed its almost 2am  
> brain: i have an idea to get you emotionally compromised  
> me: im in

“Is this. . . a figure of me?” Shuuichi’s soft voice pulls you away from your attempt to dig up some items from the past. You hastily shove the box right back into your closet and rush over to the nightstand. You take the PVC figure and hold it behind your back in an attempt to hide it.

“No! It’s not a figure of you. That would be weird! And it would be weirder if I had one. Which I don’t!” God. What the hell are you doing? He fucking saw it. That’s exactly why he asked about it in the first place. This isn’t exactly something you can hide now.

Your current relationship with your ex(?) is weird. He’s escaped from a horrible ordeal, living in a world with a fictional identity and has no idea of who you even are. He probably thinks of you as a psycho or something and probably pities you enough to maintain some vague form of contact.

But this _had_ to freak him out. Keeping a fucking hunk of plastic that looked like him. It’s weird no matter how you slice it.

“Hey. . . a-are you okay. . .?” You’re pulled from your panicked thoughts by the soft call of your and a thumb brushing away the tears developing in the corner of your eyes.

“I-I’m sorry.” You tremble. “I must be so weird to you. . . What kind of _freak_ keeps a figure of a real life person in their room? To talk to. To cry to. To—!” You bring the back of a hand to your face to wipe the tears away. “I’m so sorry. . . !”

God. You’re so goddam pathetic.

You’re taken by surprise when he carefully wraps his arms around you and gently pats your head.

“It’s okay. It brought you comfort didn’t it? You weren’t alone with it by your side, right?” You sob a little more, wrapping your arm around him and holding on as tightly as you could. You desperately wanted to anchor yourself to this moment, just so you could always know it’s real.

“I cried so much when you left. I was so scared and I felt so useless. I missed you so much! I wanted to see you again! I love you so much! Isn’t that fucking stupid of me. . .? Oh, Saihara-kun. . . ! Saihara-kun. . . !” You sob. He gently pats you on the head once more, as awkward as ever. His hushed voice assures you everything is fine.

Nothing will ever be the same, but, you’ll figure it out one day. You both will.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> watching nicob do the final leg of the last trial and someone yells 'who cares if they die, theyre not real people' sealing the deal that people really think this is acting
> 
> is that fucked up or what

When the finale airs, you want to smoother yourself with the nearest pillow. It was an hour special. An hour of watching Shuuichi and his friends suffer. A hour of listening to people claim their suffering wasn’t real, it was all an illusion -- just acting. How could people be so blind to how bad the situation actually was?  You don’t know and you’re not sure you want to understand.  
  
It wasn’t even minutes after the footage ended, when Kiibo scarified himself to destroy the dome around the accursed campus, did you get a phone call from Kaori. All she said was for you to visit her blog, a blog that was once dedicated to photography -- her attempt to help revitalize her sister’s love for the world -- which had long become her podium to fight against Team Danganronpa. The latest post was a text dump . . . from Tusumugi Shirogane, detailing how fiction became the Ultimate Real Fiction.  
  
The first three seasons was nothing but media -- games, anime and some light novels -- and it went on like that up until the tenth season, which introduced actors for a bit more realism to the scene. At that point in time all of the relationships, violence and even deaths were faked, all according to a script.  
  
Then the infamous twenty-fifth season happened. It was praised for it’s utter realism in the emotions the actors showed and the how much more realistic the murders looked. . . But, the very first murder of the season was a true and genuine murder in cold blood. Team Danganronpa fell in love with the true and utter genuine horror the victim displayed as they died. The despair the actors displayed and the utter chaos everyone fell into as they feared for their lives was true.  
  
Of course, people would catch on if they allowed things to continue this way, so Team Danganronpa created the first iteration of the ‘Flashback Lights’ to make their fictional characters become reality and allowed nature to take course. As the Flashback Lights were improved, the more they could do to people, they could directly control the plot and make it go how they wanted, all while keeping the reactions and responses genuine.  
  
Which leads to the infamous Season 53, Tsumugi was a simple costume creator for the show. She apparently had family working for the company and got the job through said connection. She was never intended to join the show, but that all changed when she was given the job to care for Kiibo. She was supposed to train the robot to become a killer machine but she couldn’t will herself to corrupt an innocent and kind AI that was curious about the world  
  
Team Danganronpa was furious with her failure, and thus decided to punish her. They blackmailed her -- by threatening the family she loved so dearly -- into making a video, the very same video that all constants to prove they gave their consent to participate in the Killing Games and TDR was not responsible for any trauma they received, and they gave her the role of Mastermind.  
  
Tsumugi admits she has no justification for her actions -- even if she could remember who she truly was and she was just as scared and terrified as anyone else -- her hands are still bloody.  
  
Tsumugi’s letter ends with her hoping Kaori will deliver her words to the world, so people understand the true horror of Team Danganronpa. You’re flipping through twitter and other apps, and the internet is already loosing its shit as Tsumugi’s words are being spread like wildfire. You cease looking through the internet when a you receive a phone call. You know exactly who it is and your brain shuts down as you fumble to hit the answer button.  
  
“. . .Saihara-kun? Ah, why are you calling at this hour?”  
  
“Ah, is it too late? I’m sorry. . .”  
  
“No!” You quickly shout. “I mean, no, it’s not. . . Is something wrong?”  
  
“. . . Did you watch it? The. . . finale. . .?” Oh. Oh god. You never once thought that he would watch the episodes after escaping that hellhole.  
  
“I did. . . but why would you. . .?”  
  
“We. . . We all do. . . We wanted to see what it was like from the other side. . .” He quietly admits. You let out a hushed ‘ah’ and before you can stop yourself, you’re apologizing to him. Shuuichi is silent on the other side of the line for several moments before he lets out a soft sigh.  
  
“. . .You say that a lot.” He sounds . . . upset that you’re saying ‘sorry' so much. You can’t help it with how fucked up the situation is. . .  
  
“Because I am.” You admit in a soft voice as you sit on the arm of the couch and keep the phone pressed to your ear. "I’m so sorry you had to suffer through that. . . It’s terrible. . . To fight so hard to live, only learn a the outside world is full of such cruel people. People that wanted you to die instead of Koharu-chan. . .”  
  
“. . .Well, you exist in the world. . . so it can’t be that bad. . .” You quietly gasp, shocked by his words.  
  
“W-what are you saying?”  
  
“S-Sorry, was that too much?”  
  
“It’s flattering to say the least. . .” An awkward silence exists between the two of you for several moments before he says your name. “Yeah?”  
  
“. . .Can you come to town with me tomorrow? I’d rather not go out alone now that the finale has aired. . . and you. . . you treat me well, l-like I’m my own person . . .! Oh, god, this didn’t sound so bad in my head. I’m sorry, this is embarrassing. Uh, please don’t feel obligated or--!”  
  
“No, it would be fine Shuuichi-kun. . . I-I gave you my number in case you needed help with anything, so, I’d be glad to help. . .”  
  
“A-Alright, uh, y-you remember where I’m currently living right. . .?”  
  
“Yeah, what time should I get there?”  
  
“Ten should be fine. Is it alright with you?”  
  
“Ten’s just fine! It’s a date Saihara-kun!”  
  
“R-Right! It’s a date.” Just as you hang up the phone, you’re struck with a realization.  
  
What the FUCK did you just say to him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsumugi's situation refers to this fic http://archiveofourown.org/works/12706266 which i think it THE GOOD SHIT
> 
> tbh i dont entirely think all the kids who signed up for DRV3 were completely unhinged, they were just kids that really got into a series and were passionate about it but genuinely had no idea how deep and horrifying it actually was or were in need of money and thought, if they win that they could be better off


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hufgds 50 years later i got new bullshit

This is not a date.  
  
You told yourself that again and again as you waited outside the door to the apartment Shuuichi lived in. You nervously fidget about before steeling all your courage and bang your fist on the door. You wait a moment before anxiously lifting your hand one more, only for the door to suddenly open. There’s a woman with sharp red eyes and short dark brown hair.  
  
“We don’t want any.” She then shuts the door on your face. You stand there with a blank face, a thousand questions flying though your head.   
  
Who was that girl? Why was she in Shuuichi’s apartment?  
  


* * *

  
  
“. .  .Maki who was that?” Shuuichi asks, entering the living room as he buttoned his shirt up.  
  
“No one.” Maki quips, turning the page of her newspaper.   
  
“She told a girl ‘we don’t want any’.” Himiko explains, shoving a spoonful of cereal into her mouth. Maki narrows her eyes.  
  
After miraculously surviving the 53rd season of Danganronpa, the trio was given an insane amount of money and decided to move into an apartment together. It was the best choice to stick together anyway since they had no home to return to anyway. After all, Maki being an orphan wasn’t a lie. Htmiko’s parents didn’t know how to handle her. Shuuichi’s parents. . . well, it was clear he didnt have any good relationship with them and took off as soon as they could. And so, to hide from the public eye, Himiko was determined to grow her hair out and dyed it black, Maki chopped her hair to her shoulders in a messy and hasty way that fit the sharp look in her eyes and Shuuichi never left the apartment without a hoodie to hide his face and dyed his hair a more natural shade of black. . . and today, he intended to but a pair of colored contacts for himself.   
  
He thought . . . _their_ opinion would help too . . .  Still, he can’t help but wonder where they are although. They should have arrived at this point in time. . .  
  
Another knock on the door. Maki narrows her eyes, storming over to the door with her newspaper in hand.  
  
“I said ‘we don’t want any’.” She hisses.   
  
“I-I know. . .! B-But I’m not selling anything. . . ! I’m here to see Shuu--!!”  
  
“No one here by that name.” She swift cuts the visitor at the door off with a firm tone but Shuuichi recognizes that voice in an instant. He bolts over to the door, squeezing between it and Maki. His heart twists in a painful way when he sees the tears bubbling in your eyes. To your surprise he gently takes your hand and smiles softly to help calm you down.  
  
Maki gives him an expression between an accusing look and something of disgust. “You know this person?"  
  
“Yes, ah, we can talk inside,"

 

* * *

  
“So, you’re his ex, huh?”  
  
“They look nice, nyah.”  
  
You feel yourself blush and sheepishly glance away. You don’t know where you are in a relationship with Shuuichi now and by his lack of response and scratching the back of his head awkwardly, he seems just as uncertain. Well, at least you aren’t alone in that feeling. . .  
  
“I. . . I really loved and cared for XO▢∆X,” You confess, your cheeks bright red as you utter these words. “He meant so much to me. He _still_ _does_. I mean, he wasnt a perfect person. He didnt get along with other people, his people skills were really _bad_ and he said he didnt need anyone else in his life but me. . . Looking back on it, it was just. . . sad. He was so lonely but he was afraid of rejection from others that he rather isolate himself but he always supported me in anyway he could, remembered important dates, brought me gifts and flowers . . .but he’s _dead_ and Saihara-kun isn’t the same person." In a way. Yes. He's dead. But his body still moves with a completely different identity that cannot know or understand the things youre talking about. And its always painful. But, life is certainly even more painful for Shuuichi and his friends. Everything they know is built up on lies for the sake of sick entertainment for other people. It's completely insane and asinine . . .  That's why. . . That's why. . . "But it’s way more important that he’s happy.”  
  
Maki hums to herself, tapping a finger against her crossed arms before sighing.   
  
“Alright. As long as you don’t blab about us or try to replace your boyfriend, I don’t care if you visit.” You try to tell her of course you wont tell anyone but she's swiftly risen to her feet and makes her way down the hall in quick strides to reach to her room. Himiko, on the other hand, doesn’t move from her spot on the couch, a bowel of cereal in hand as she focuses on the TV now that the conversation was over. You and Shuuichi glance back to each other awkwardly before he takes your hand and leads the way out of the apartment and back into the streets.   
  
You hold onto his hand as tightly as possible. .  . and he returns the gesture without hesitation.

"I think you'd look nice with green eyes. . ." You softly tell him once he informs you of you today's objective.

**Author's Note:**

> we also discussed why would the audition tapes bleep out names since theyre not intended to be shared to the public,  
> i pointed out they would most likely be bleeped out to protect their original identities and names + family, since Tsumugi actually states once everyone falls into despair that 'everything was still on script' meaning she planned out both how her reveal would work and when it would happen along with sharing the audition tapes on TV
> 
> besides, whos to say that Shuuichi Saihara really is his name
> 
> [ muffled xfiles theme ]
> 
> aslo title is from a song by RADWIMPS that I associate w Shuuichi a lot.
> 
> i tried to get shuuichi's pre-game personality somewhere between soft boy and the fanboy, id like to think more of soft boy came out when with someone he was really comfortable with?? and a mix of love is blind on the behalf of the reader??? fuck idk man, i mean if i ended up doing more i could get in depth with that.


End file.
